Fantasy Politics USA

Last week Stephen Colbert’s attempt to run for the President was stopped by the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council who voted 13 – 3 to keep Colbert off of the presidential primary ballot. Colbert claims now he has to mourn this decision and will have to take a break from his show on Comedy Central. Conveniently the Writers Guild of America is striking, so his show would be in reruns anyway. According to Colbert, “I am shocked and saddened by the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council’s 13-to-3 vote to keep me off their presidential primary ballot. Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history — only ten votes — I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for this nation to heal. I want say to my supporters, this is not over. While I may accept the decision of the Council, the fight goes on! The dream endures! …And I am going off the air until I can talk about this without weeping.” There is some speculation now that people from Barack Obama’s campaign leaned on some of the members of the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council to keep Colbert off of the ballot. One member of the council said that Inez Tenenbaum, who is a high profile supporter of Obama, “pressured” them to keep Colbert off the ballot. “She said it wouldn’t be fair to the other candidates. That he [Colbert] wouldn’t be sincere. That he was only running in one state,” said the executive council official. State Rep. Bakari Sellers, another major South Carolina Obama supporter, admitted he made phone calls to council members. “I placed the calls as a concerned Democrat, realizing that we are a country in despair,” Sellers told CNN. “It is not a time for games or to make a mockery of the process.” Obama’s campaign denies any connection to the phone calls, and Tenenbaum says it was all about the money. The state Democratic party would have to pay $20,000 to put his name on the ballot. Was Obama’s team afraid they could lose votes to Colbert? John Edwards team took a different stand and actually welcomed Colbert’s entry into the race with political attacks. As soon as the Writers Guild Strike ends we should hear more about this important story.
Alan Cosgrove

One of Fred Thompson’s advisers, Philip Martin, a businessman who serves as a co-chairman of Thompson’s campaign has a conviction record including major drug sales. In 1979 Martin pleaded guilty to selling 11 pounds of marijuana, and the court withheld judgment pending completion of his probation. Thompson stands by his adviser even though he claims he was unaware of the past convictions. On ‘Meet The Press’ Thompson had this to say about Martin, “I wish I had known about it a little earlier. Phil I’m sure knows that he should have told me about this, but he thought it was over and done with and forgotten about I’m sure. But of course nothing is ever over and done with and forgotten about in this business.” Maybe the pot charges could be forgiven, but that wasn’t all for Martin. While on probation in 1983, he was charged with violation of probation because he was caught trying to sell $30,000 worth of cocaine. Along with those charges came multiple counts of felony bookmaking, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy. Really hard to sweep that under the carpet. “I know him to be a good man,” Thompson said on Sunday. “I know him to be a man who has rehabilitated himself and led a productive life. He’s my friend. He’s gonna remain my friend.” Thompson may keep him on the campaign though, and wants talk about it first. “You know, what I do about it after I talk to him with regard to the future we’ll just have to see, sit down and work out, and do the right thing to a fellow who is a friend., but who is now on the front page of the Washington Post.” Martin has managed to stay out of jail for crimes that would put most of us behind bars for years, and now Thompson thinks he deserves some type of forgiveness. Maybe a second chance, I mean a third chance. The sad part is Martin is probably a successful businessman who has taken a part of his criminal past to do so. It wouldn’t surprise me if he keeps Martin on his staff, the Republicans elected a former drunken coke head to be President for last 7 years. And they call themselves the party of family values.
Alan Cosgrove

Republican candidate Alan Keyes will not be allowed to attend this Sundays Fox Republican debate. He has already participated in two debates including the Values Voter Debate in Fort Lauderdale only three days after entering the race. The Florida party said all the participants must have a 1% or better showing in the polls, but Keyes was not in any of the six polls they used. If he had been included most agree he would have polled better than the 1% required. During the 2000 GOP presidential primary he got about 5% of the Republican vote in Florida. Also national polls that do include Keyes have him about 2% after only two weeks in the race. This is even more than some candidates that have been in much longer, and have been invited to the debate. During a radio interview Keyes said this about being excluded, “Rather than thinking about what they should be doing to make sure that voters are informed and able to get a clear idea of the choices available to them, [some party officials] are doing their best, I think, to make sure that articulation of the kind of conservatism that corresponds to what is on the heart and mind of most grassroots Republicans is not there.” Keyes later asked, “Why such an effort to assure that the so-called top-tier candidates don’t have to face me? Do they fear me because they’re not good enough for the job that needs to be done, or because they don’t represent the conscience and heart of the Republican Party or of the American people?” The top tier candidates do seem to fear him somewhat since they skipped the only two debates he has participated in. If you would like to contact the Florida officials responsible for excluding Keyes contact the Florida Republican Party and Chairman Jim Greer at 850-222-7920, send a fax to 850-681-2063, or email the party using the form at The Republican Party of Florida.